Legal Victory for Crane Operators

The Histadrut and Gova Professional Construction Works Ltd. Reach a Settlement Agreement: Company to Pay Risk Premium to Crane Operators in Accordance with Extension Order

The Histadrut announced that it has reached a temporary settlement agreement with Gova Professional Construction Works Ltd., a company providing manpower services in the construction industry, following a petition filed with the Tel Aviv Regional Labor Court.

The agreement came after an employee filed a complaint claiming he was not receiving the risk premium stipulated in the collective labor agreement for the construction and infrastructure sector under the extension order. The employee had not received the premium since July 2024, despite repeated appeals to the employer that went unanswered. Consequently, a lawsuit was filed with the court.

Under the agreement, the company will pay its employees a risk premium of 4 ILS per hour for hours worked in January. The premium will continue to be paid as long as the declaration of a special emergency situation on the home front remains in effect. Additionally, the company will retroactively pay the differences for the risk premium in four equal consecutive installments, starting with the February paycheck and ending in May 2025.

The Chairman of the Histadrut of Construction and Related Industries Workers, Itzik Moyal, stated:
“I welcome the court’s decision to delve into the matter. This is another important step in the fight for the rights of transparent workers. We will not tolerate blatant violations of sectoral agreements and extension orders. Workers will receive everything they are entitled to by law. Following the court’s settlement, I plan to immediately address all companies that have not paid the risk premium to crane operators. If we do not receive a response within seven days, we will file lawsuits against each one of them and provide workers with all the tools they need to receive what is rightfully theirs.”

The National Crane Operators Union Chairman, Roy Weinstein, commented:
“This is a victory for workers, the collective labor process, and justice. The right to this premium is enshrined in the extension order. Any violation of the agreement, even for small amounts, harms workers and the status of collective agreements in Israel. The decision was reached within a month of filing the lawsuit, thanks to the determined struggle of the workers’ committee and the full backing of the Histadrut. The court ordered the company to pay the premium retroactively to all eligible employees. The court’s swift decision proves that when workers unite and fight for their rights, results can be achieved. We will continue to remain vigilant and ensure that all workers’ rights under the collective agreement are fully upheld.”